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Apple Netbook Won't Be A Netbook

There was food Steve Jobs left on the table for everyone at the financial call on Tuesday. When asked about the netbook situation, Jobs gave a noncommittal answer. Basically, it's we're working on it and you'll see it when we're ready.

Then he went on to say that the iPhone is the perfect netbook. Wow, did he just gave it away?!

Onxo has always believed that if Apple is looking at the segment of the market, it's not what we think it'll be. It won't be a miniturized Macbook. It won't look like the netbooks out there.

No standard clam-shell form. Not like netbooks.

Will not have a keyboard like standard netbooks.

Will not sport a removable battery...duh.

Will not cost $300-500.

Will cost $700-$800. Here's the $800 Macbook for you.

Will employ multi-touch as seen on the iPhone. More specifically, it'll use the gestures we now have on the Macbooks.

Will use iPod's connector. In fact, it'll have a lot of mobile features on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Will likely use iPhone's OS rather than the traditional OS.

7"-8" Screen. Possibly bigger but I doubt it. Maybe LED, I hope.

Wireless connectivity. I doubt we'll see WiMax. Just 3G if at all. Your standard Wi-Fi connectivity.

Now, before we whine about the OS, think about it. This is a small device that is meant to supplement the Mac, not replace it, though I can see folks looking to do just that. So, there is no need for a full blown OS. Now, the software may be more sophisticated. We might see an iWork version for this "netbook" for folks who will be using it to do work when they're away from their Mac.

So, there's your Apple netbook. A netbook that's not a netbook. These are all educated conjectures on my part but it's from watching Apple work all these years. Nothing more. It's part informative and partly for fun on a Thursday.

Apple has indicated in the past that the iPhone platform will extend beyond the iPhone and iPhone Touch.

Natural evolution. A mid-sized tablet makes sense.

In this form factor, it allows Apple to keep a premium on the device. This thing will fly off the shelves. We might even see the price go up as high as $900. Yeah, you can bet on that.

It will leverage the iTunes and App Store even more.

It will create a whole new segment of the market for growth.

Perfect for those looking to get a Mac. Or for those who think the iPod Touch screen is not big enough.

Anyway, a guess is still a guess. What do you think?

Note: Earlier, there was some rumors plying about that a small form Mac was caught in the log of a search engine (Google probably) that came from Apple but had a different display resolution. Nothing they've seen before. Dave the Mobile Warrior said not to put too much stock in it. It would be an netbook installed with OS X. Ruined my morning with that.